1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the processing of decapitated fish with particular regard to the gaining of organs, especially the gonads present in the belly cavity of such fish. Conventionally, such processing is performed by apparatus comprising a conveyor including throughs provided with supporting webs receiving the fish lying on their sides between said supporting webs and conveying them in a direction transverse to their longitudinal axis; at least one pressing element, which is controlled to move into the path of conveyance along said fish and between the supporting webs for carrying out a progressive local massaging effect on the belly area from the tail end side of the belly cavity towards the decapitation end; and means for retaining the fish by engaging their tail area.
2. Prior Art
Various apparatuses of the this type are known in the prior art. E.g., an apparatus is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 3,793,676 in which the decapitated fish are conveyed lying on their side transverse to their longitudinal axis and are treated by pressing or pulling elements accompanying their movement, which elements engage the flank of the fish, compress the belly cavity in a continuous action extending from the region of the tail end side of the belly cavity and continuing towards the head end. By this action the gonads and other organs are massaged towards the decapitation end and are pressed out of the latter. The pressing elements are designed as roller bodies which are formed as pneumatic rollers and/or can be mounted to be displaceable against spring force. According to other modifications, the roller bodies are provided with different profiles, the purpose of which is an adaptation to the anatomy of the fish.
This apparatus causes high expenditure and must, moreover, be modified for each fish species and each fish size, which is complicated and uneconomical.
Furthermore, there is disclosed an apparatus in Japanese Patent 59-227 237 showing a modified embodiment in which decapitated fish are arranged to lie side by side on their back in troughs and are conveyed transversely to their longitudinal axis. The squeezing out of the gonads or other organs occurs by a massaging ledge arranged obliquely relative to the conveying direction of the troughs, which ledge comes into operative engagement with the belly of each fish and presses out the said intestinal portions towards the decapitation end. It is obvious that this apparatus can only be used for fish of essentially the same size.
As an optional concept within the scope of this Japanese prior art the fish bodies to be freed of the gonads are seized, with the tail leading, by their back area between conveying belts and the belly cavity lying free is massaged by means of a pressing roller.
Apart from the fact that the output to be achieved is unsatisfactory due to the conveying in the longitudinal extension of the fish, it is only possible to realize the combining of such procedural steps with a decapitating treatment at high expenditure.